Improvement in lamp-burners



W. H.5ANB0RN.

LAMP-BURNER.

Patented Nov. 7. 1876;

UNTTED STATES PATENT O FICE.

WILLIAM H. SANBORN, OF CAMBRIDGE, ASSIGNOR TO CHARLES S. OHAFFEE, OF SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN LAMP-BURNERS.

- Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 184, l 10', dated November 7, 1876; application filed June 30, 1876. V

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM H. SANBORN, of Cambridge, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Im;

with the base of the burner adapted to be screwed or otherwise fastened into or on the lamp, of plates provided each with an annular series of chimney-holding prongs or devices adapted to bear on the lower end of the chimney, and to move toward or from each other, under the action of a suitable spring, to permit' the insertion of the base of the chimney between the prongs, or its removal therefrom; also, in a removable thimble, provided with a clasping-piece adapted to embrace the wicktube, whereby the thimble may be readily removed to trim the wick.

1n chimney holders as commonly constructed, two prongs and a screw are employed to embrace the flanged portion of the chimney, or else long spring-prongs provided with notches are made to receive the chimneyfiange. In practice it is found that these devices, if made to fit the base of the chimney suificiently close to hold it firmly, and to prevent it from rattling or falling 011' when the lamp is being moved or used in cars or other vehicles or boats of travel, hold the chimney too close when the chimney expands under the action of the flame, and the chimney is consequently broken, or else is held too loosely.

A chimney-holder constructed as herein described holds the base of the chimney so firmly that it cannot bethrown off, and so that it cannot rattle or Vibrate, and as the chimney expands under the action of heat a portion of the holder moves with it, under the action of a spring, and yet holds the base firmly, and as the chimney becomes cooled the holder closes together as the glass contracts in size. This automatic adaptation of the chimneyholder with an annular series of-prongs to the base, according to its changeable size under the action of heat or cold, is the gist of this invention.

Figure 1 represents a burner provided with my invention, the upper portion thereof being in section, such figure also showing the chimney in dotted lines. Fig. 2 represents the burner in top view; Fig. 3, an under-side view of the plates of the chimney-holder removed; and Fig. 4, a top viewot the upper plate before it is bent, as shown in Fig. 1.

The base a, provided with the screw-thread 1, to enter the screw-threaded upper portion of a lamp, and the wick-tube b, for the wick w, are of usual construction. The wick is raised and lowered by the thumb-nut 2, as usual. The lower plate 0 of the holder is provided at one side withran annular series of chimneyholding prongs, d, bent upward and inward,as shown atd, Fig. 1, to fit over the base or flanged lower end of the chimney, and is also provided, in this instance, in two places with sockets 3 4, for the reception of the arms gj of the upper plate cot the holder, they being bent downward and backward, as shown in Fig. l, and

fitted into the sockets 3 4 of the lower plate,

this connection permitting the upper plate 6 of the holder'to slide on the lower plate 0, the latter being-fixed or connected with the upper portion of the base a, above the air-receiving passages 5, Fig. 1. The upper plate 0 is also provided with an annular series 01' chimneyholding prongs,f, to fit the base or flanged lower end of the chimney, in opposition to the holding-prongs d. The under plate chas attached to it a pendant, l, to which is connected a spring, 6, placed to bear upon an arm or pro jection, 10, forming part of the upper plate 0, the spring having a tendency to always hold the prongs f pressed toward the prongs 61, so as to grasp and hold the chimney-base firmly, preventing it from falling otf or rattling; and as the'chimney becomes heated and expands, the upper plate 6 and prongs f, under the action of the expanding chimney, move away from prongs d, the spring permitting the plate so to move.

To easily insert or remove a chimney, the upper plate e, or its arm 9, is provided with a thumb-piece, 0, by which the upper plate and prongs f may be moved away from the wicktube or center of the burner, and against the action of the spring.

The thimble n, through which the flame of the lamp issues, is provided with a claspingpiece, m, that embraces the upper endof the wick-tube b, thereby retaining the thimble in position, and with its opening in-line with the opening in the wick-tube. i i

To trim the wick evenly and quickly, the thimble and its olasping piece may be removed. a

It is obvious that the shape of the plates and, the prongs may be adapted to chimneys of any well-known or proper shape, and the invention may also, with slight modifications, be employed to hold globes or shades of gas and other lamps firmly in position against movement by reason of moving the fixtures or lamps on cars, boats, 85c. r

The form of the spring 4; and its method of attachment may be changed Without departing from this invention; and instead of the arms jg and sockets 3 4, a headed or other pin on one plate might enter a slot in the other plate, or one'plate may be suitably connected with and so as to move over the other, as described.

I I am aware that a single spring on a springgoverned plate has been adapted to operate through an opening in a chimney-holding rim;

but in that case the spring does not provide for holding the chimney-base positively, as by an annular series of prongs on a plate adapted to move as the prongs are acted upon by the expanding or contracting chimney-base.

1 claim 1. In a chimney-holder, an upper and a lower plate, provided with an annular series of holding-prongs, in combination with a spring to retain the pronged plates pressed toward each other, .to operate substantially as described.

2. The removable thimble, in combination with the clasping-piece adapted. to fit thewick-tube, substantially as described.

In testimony Whereot'I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. 1

-WILLIAM H. SANBORN.

Witnesses:

R. L. ROBERTS, S B. KIDDER. 

